A/N: This story's long turnaround time means I plan things very far in advance. Every arc contributes to the next one in this story. Events weave with each other into something, though whether its a beautiful tapestry or an ensnaring net depends entirely on perspective. Am I talking about my perspective, the reader's, or the character's? All of the above. Its time for femslash!

Chapter 20: Precarious balancing act

December 22, 2030

Gallery Nucleus

4:15 p.m.

"...and that is everything that happened during the Vitaman Park case. But you already knew that, of course."

"Well sure," Robin said as she faced Hugh and Apollo. "But I don't think I ever heard about what happened from you guys. So thanks!"

Both men nodded, but Apollo stared intensely at her for a few moments before saying, "That trial still weighs on you even today, doesn't it?"

"Not that anyone can blame you," Hugh added. "It's only been a little over a year since then, after all. Just thinking about those days sends chills down my spine."

"Maybe I shouldn't be thinking about it," Robin said, gripping her proof of friendship. "But when I think about how we almost lost everything because of that culprit, it reminds of just how precious everyone is to me. Especially Juniper."

"I know what you mean," Apollo said as he glanced over at Athena. "Well, I'm glad that you've taken a positive outlook on what happened."

Apollo and Hugh, done with viewing the artwork, went their separate ways. Robin finished collecting her thoughts and went to go find Juniper. It was getting late and their dinner date was in a mere two hours. It looked like there wasn't going to be enough time to do something else today, besides maybe stop off by a jewelry store.

But really, a tight schedule really wasn't a bad problem once you knew how to handle it. It when you tried to figure out just what you could accomplish within your abilities that things could get ugly…..

June 15, 2029

Prosecutor's building, Klavier Gavin's office.

7:30 a.m.

"Are you sure you're ready, Fraulein Robin? No one would look down on you if you decided to wait another year."

"I've had enough of sitting around feeling sorry for myself," Robin answered heatedly. "SO INSTEAD I"M CHARGING HEADFIRST, MAAANNNNN!"

"Very well then," Klavier said, accustomed by his young student's shouting by now. "At the very least, before you undergo your final test we can warm ourselves up with a good natured debate, ja?"

"I'm all for that!" Robin exclaimed excitedly. "So who's going to be my opponent this time?"

"I shall deign to be your opponent," A voice behind her said.

None other than Simon Blackquill entered the room, an intimidating smirk already playing across his face. Robin raised her own guard, not from fear, but from anticipation. Debating against Simon was always a thrilling uphill battle.

Klavier chuckled as he watched the sparks between the two of them. This was going to be quite a show to watch.

"Here's the scenario you two shall be confronting…."

"OBJECTION! YOU'RE WRONG!"

"SILENCE! Say that as much as you like, it's meaningless as long as you can't explain why the defendant would stuff the corpse of the victim into a large safe."

"Because it wouldn't fit in a drawer- woah!"

Robin quickly dodged Simon's invisible blade before continuing,

"Well, given how timid the defendant has been outlined to be I can't imagine he'd want to look at a dead body for very long. Besides, it successfully threw the police off the scent, didn't it?"

"Perhaps it did. But even a mewling man like the defendant can have a stroke of genius. It's more than likely an action committed out of sheer panic, but does not necessarily indicate guilt," Simon said, tapping his forehead in emphasis.

"Which still leaves the matter of the alarm," Robin countered. "Wasn't there a report received that someone managed to press the button despite there being no fingerprints?"

"Heh. Such a vague piece of evidence isn't even worth cutting down." Simon answered.

"Oh yeah!? Well then-"

"I thought I heard a lot of noise coming from Gavin's office. Should have known you were making all that racket."

The fierce debate was interrupted by someone inside the room, and Robin and Simon looked around to see that Ema had slipped in without them noticing.

"Hiya, Ema!" Robin said, effortlessly going from debate mode to her friendlier self. "What brings you here?"

"I have some paperwork I need the fop to look over."

"Ach, I thought you weren't calling me that anymore, Fraulein Skye." Klavier said.

"No, what I said is that I would consider using it less often," Ema said as she handed the aforementioned papers to the prosecutor. "But it might still slip out depending on my mood."

Wait, Fraulein Skye instead of Fraulein Detective? Speaking of her mood, Ema's was surprisingly cheery given that she was talking to Klavier Gavin. Furthermore, she had a band around her right arm that read-

"Ema! When did you become part of the forensics department?"

"Well, I only passed my exam about a week ago," Ema explained. "I still need to wrap up some last cases I'm working on with Prosecutor Gavin before I can officially transfer."

"I'm so happy for you!" Robin squealed in excitement. "We'll be working together that much sooner!"

"I suppose so," Ema said, mildly irritated at Robin's high-pitched voice but glad for the congratulations nonetheless. "You sound like Athena. All morning she's been gushing about all the science she wants to do with me while solving cases. She's actually throwing a celebration party for me later. Are you going to come?"

"Depends on when it is," Robin answered. "I'm taking the bar exam today with Hugh."

"Depending on how Newman-dono fares against this final opponent, there may be even more cause for celebration," Simon added. "Hence Gavin-dono and I making sure she goes into battle with a sharp blade."

"Ah. Well, you do have some semblance of sense knocking around in that head of yours," Ema said. "I think you'll do okay."

Coming from Ema, that was pretty high praise. Robin could feel the pool of burning determination deep inside her flare that much hotter, to the point that she felt herself start trembling.

"Woah there, Fraulein. Let's not go off before it's showtime," Klavier said. "Just keep in mind why you strive to walk the path of the Prosecutor and you'll do fine."

It was funny to Robin that Klavier said what he did. Her motivation for being a Prosecutor was something that couldn't be defined very easily. Of course, at first Robin wasn't interested in being a Prosecutor, until that fateful October trial had shaken her out of that mindset. After that Robin simply wanted to face Athena in court, as well fulfill her promise to her friends to help redeem the law system. Recently, a whole new reason surfaced that compelled her to take the bar exam this year….

May 7th, 2029

Newman-Woods residence

7:00 a.m.

"Ahhhh!"

"Juniper, are you okay?" Robin asked, almost smacking her face against a doorframe as she rushed into the laundry room.

"I'm okay," Juniper said, despite the fact that her clothes were completely soaked. "But I think our washing machine is broken now."

"Ohhhh….that is a problem," Robin said, a feeling of dread and worry settling over her. At the sound of her girlfriend's tone Juniper looked at Robin, who was holding a some envelopes in her hands.

"I guess those are this month's bills," Juniper said dejectedly. "Are we in trouble?"

"No, we're not in trouble!" Robin exclaimed in her best reassuring voice. "It's just a little wrinkle, but we can get a new machine easily enough."

"Well, I think we can ask our next door neighbors if we can use their machine in the meantime. Hang on…."

Juniper bustled out of the laundry room, a determined look on her face. Once she was gone Robin took another look at the bills in her hand. She hadn't lied to Juniper when she said they weren't in trouble right now. Her Mom, being a very talented accountant, had passed her knowledge down to Robin. That knowledge was currently letting her know that the two paychecks going into the household wouldn't be enough to sustain them indefinitely. By this time next year they would certainly be out of money.

June 15, 2029

Testing site

9:45 a.m.

The bar exam was held every year in June, with the results being mailed out in August and swearing in September. So Robin had to take the bar exam this year, and she had it to pass it in one try. The main reason for the lack of money was because Robin couldn't stay in her parents' house and so had bought a new one, and so failure was simply not an option.

Those were the thoughts in Robin's head as she made her way to the testing site of the bar exam with Hugh, where Juniper was already waiting for them. Despite not having an exam to take herself, Juniper was of course there to see them off and wish them luck. To Robin at least, it was already a balm on her nerves.

"Are you both well hydrated? Have you two eaten well today?" Juniper asked as soon as she spotted Hugh and Robin.

"YEAH, MAANNN! I"M ALL READY TO KNOCK THIS OUT OF THE PARK!"

"I'm just as prepared as Robin," Hugh said. "How could I not be? I'm not going to let you two down now."

"Well, don't pressure yourself too much," Juniper said, smiling gently. "I brought celery sticks in case either of you two still needed a snack. I'm not worried, though. I'm sure the exam won't be a problem."

It was the Juniper Woods Robin knew and loved so very much. Yet at the same time, there was a melancholy note in her voice, as if something in her mind was niggling at her. Robin didn't need Athena's ears to know that something was bothering Juniper, which naturally raised the question of why she wasn't saying anything.

That's rather rich coming from the liar.

Robin found herself suddenly badly off-balance as the horrible words echoed in her mind in a familiar voice she couldn't quite place. Why would she be having these kind of thoughts now?

A sudden image flashed in her mind of what she had told Juniper a month ago about their financial situation. Except that hadn't been a lie, right? Juniper didn't need to know about that, since Robin would crush the problem before it had a chance to arise.

That's a very convenient way of looking at things. Remember how Juniper said she felt about secrets? Are you just going to ignore that?

With all her mental might Robin shoved the thoughts from her head. Regardless of whether there was a point there, she couldn't let herself be distracted now. The bar exam was a much more pressing matter right now- she needed to destroy that obstacle first before she could think about anything else.

"Hugh! It's time for us to GET GOING!" Robin shouted, grabbing her friend and dragging him into the testing building. "The law system won't wait around, so I won't either!"

"Hugh, Robin. I believe in you both," Juniper called out. "I'll be waiting here so that we can celebrate together once the exam is over. So do your best!"

The words settled themselves into Robin's heart, chasing away the shadows hanging over it. But she could still feel them there, waiting….

Robin could barely hear the exam administrator's instructions over the sound of her blood pumping in her head. She knew that the exam would be today, but sitting in a room filled other nervous applicants made all the worries surrounding this undertaking feel very real. Hugh, of course, wasn't in this room, having been taken to a separate area along with other potential defense attorneys. Robin did manage to recognize a few of her fellow classmates scattered among the different seats.

Seeing these familiar faces in turn reminded Robin of her time in Themis Legal Academy, and she could feel herself begin to relax. If her classmates in the Prosecutor Course felt confident enough to be here, there was no reason why she shouldn't feel the same. After all, she had graduated at the top of the entire course. Willingly or otherwise, her attendance at Themis had been to prepare her for this very day.

In front of the room, the test administrator signaled for everyone to turn over their exams. Robin did so and immediately began going over the questions, zeroing in on those she knew she could answer. As her pencil frantically scratched out the answers flowing out Robin could feel the entirety of her being dedicating itself to the sheet of papers before her.

June 15, 2029

Wright Anything Agency

3:12 a.m.

After the end of the exam, Juniper, Robin, and Hugh were about to go home before Athena called everyone up for a matter of utmost importance: the celebration party for Ema's official transfer into the forensics department. The party itself was actually a pretty effective mood lifter, if for no other reason than the fact that Ema couldn't seem to decide if she was happy or really, really embarrassed. The agency's resident magician, Trucy Wright, was currently doing a magic show near the back, but Robin and Hugh decided not to watch it.

"Oh hey, Robin! Hey, Hugh! How was the exam?" Athena asked, spotting them and going up to them.

"It was an adequate workout to a mind such as mine," Hugh said in his usual magnanimous fashion. "I think I will continue to sharpen my skills while awaiting my badge."

"I didn't see it as a problem either," Robin said, wagging her finger in the way only she could. "After all, I made a promise with you Hugh and Juniper!"

Hugh nodded at Robin's words. "Ah, yes. Surely the greatest benefit that will arise from this bar exam. The fact that we will now become part of the legal system."

"Um….about that promise. *cough cough*"

Everyone started as Juniper approached the group, looking even more troubled than she did that morning.

"There's- there's something I need to say about that."

December 22, 2030

Gallery Nucleus

4:20 p.m.

Ironically enough, Robin had planned to talk to Juniper about their financial situation that after the party. But the words that came from Juniper had blown her into complete internal chaos.

"We can't ever work together. We can't actually fulfill our promise."

Once upon a time, Robin had been told by her dad to be wary of falling into a situation with Hugh and Juniper that would place them at odds with each other, and to never hang onto a promise if it was clear that it would do more harm than good.

The broken promise become yet another large weight resting over the household of Juniper and Robin, making what was already a precarious balancing act all that much more uncertain.

A/N: Ema Skye is an established character in this story's universe. From the very beginning I had planned for her to become a forensics scientist for plot reasons. The recent AA6 is news is as such funny to me, although I did borrow the armband AA6!Ema has. Readers of TSOMS likewise will find humor in how Ema and Athena interact, given their relationship here. Anyways, next chapter is the Arc 4 finale. Even when it seems like the conclusion is stunningly obvious, there may still be a sting that leaves you stunned for other reasons. Until then, this has been Orion Fowl, and thank you for visiting my Corner of Romance.